The fate of the Jolly Boatman site, Hampton Court Way and Bridge Road were all discussed at the workshop held at the Civic Centre in Esher.

Representatives of Molesey residents and businessmen met experts from English Heritage, Hampton Court Palace and architects and representatives from the borough and county councils.

Top of the agenda was the future of Bridge Road, referred to by many of the people who live and work there as Hampton Court Village.

Elmbridge’s head of town planning Heather Thwaites hosted the meeting last month.

“The stakeholders meeting was about getting representatives from local businesses and residents together with landowners, as well as people interested in conservation and the county council to talk about Bridge Road and what its vision for the future should be,” she said. “Movement, economy and townscape, these sorts of issues were explored to see if there was any common ground.”

Although representatives from the owners of the Jolly Boatman site and the train station attended, Mrs Thwaites explained: “The meeting touched on those sites because they will have a significant impact on the area. It was more from the view of Bridge Road and how it could capitalise on tourist trade coming to and from the palace.”

Another stakeholders meeting will be arranged in the autumn to formulate an action plan.

John Bartlett, Elmbridge cabinet member with responsibility for planning was enthusiastic.

“We had some pretty high-powered people there and we are very optimistic that this will lead to something happening there,” he said.

“Also for the developers, this is just the right time to get something going, because they are obviously putting in applications and they want to know what they can do.

“It is very much along the lines of proactive planning - don’t just sit there waiting for developers to come in with a scheme, go out there in the community and see what we can do.”

Ideas put forward included an avenue of trees to ‘green up’ Hampton Court Way and improved access to Cigarette Island.

“I’m very hopeful that we will now achieve something at that site,” added Cllr Bartlett.

“It was a very interesting meeting and a very important meeting in terms of bringing people together.

“It showed there is a great will of people to say: ‘Let’s see what we can do’.”

The area, he said, was a gateway not just to Elmbridge, but also to Surrey.

Cllr Bartlett said: “What impression of this borough have the thousands of tourists visiting Hampton Court?”

“Having said that there are two Lutyens bridges in East Molesey and people walk over them without even realising,” he said.

“I am hopeful that we will get some first class architecture and superb urban design to create somewhere that residents and visitors will find extremely attractive.”

Bridge Road trader Peter Mott was among the people who attended the meeting at the Civic Centre. He runs the Hampton Court Sandwich and Coffee Company at the end of Bridge Road.

He is also the Conservative candidate for tomorrow’s borough council elections.

“Everyone there was keen to see changes in East Molesey at long last,” he said adding that a lot of what was discussed fell in line with his pledges as a prospective councillor.

“I was very pleased with the meeting,” he said. “It was very constructive – maybe something can be done in the next few years.”

Last week, the News & Mail reported on plans drawn up by Cllr Mick Burgess to pedestrianise the Hampton Court end of Bridge Road.

His Molesey Residents’ Association colleague Nigel Cooper was also at the meeting and will be fighting Peter Mott to defend his seat on Elmbridge Council at tomorrow’s election.